NFL: Ravens, Texans to meet in AFC playoff rematch

The 49ers talked about “unfinished business” before playing the Giants last weekend in a rematch of the NFC Championship, won by the New Yorkers in overtime in San Francisco in January.

Then they went out and got undressed by the Giants in business-like fashion.

Today brings another playoff rematch, this one between the Ravens and Texans in Houston. The two met in the AFC divisional round last year with Baltimore holding serve at home.

The Texans have opted to downplay the hyped-up showdown between the 5-1 clubs, who have the best records in the conference. It’s not about gaining revenge, but making progress.

“You can’t avenge a loss from a previous season because it’s not the same game,” receiver Andre Johnson said. “Maybe if it was a playoff game it would be a little different, but it’s a regular-season game. It’s not win or go home, so I wouldn’t say it’s a revenge game.

“Our big thing is just going out and winning to get our record to 6-1 going into our bye week. That’s our main goal.”

If you’re still of the mind — and most people are — that the 3-3 Patriots are going to find themselves in contention for a first-round bye come December, then the Texans are your team today.

The Ravens already have beaten the Patriots, meaning they hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over them. So the more losses the better.

And the Patriots will have the opportunity to personally deal with the Texans during a Week 14 matchup at Gillette Stadium.

The Ravens will be playing without linebacker Ray Lewis and cornerback Lardarius Webb due to injury. They may get Terrell Suggs back, although the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year looks like he did his physical therapy at McDonald’s.

The Texans are coming off a 42-24 pounding administered by the Packers. It was their first game without All-Pro linebacker Brian Cushing, who is out for the season with a knee injury. Cornerback Johnathan Joseph’s status is shaky due to a groin injury.

This one could be entertaining. The Texans, for one, don’t mind being trading blows.

“When another team scores points you want to go out and try to put points on the board, also,” Johnson said. “That’s just football. The team goes out and scores seven, you feel like your offense has to go out and score seven more.”

The Texans are ranked fifth in the league in scoring, averaging 28.8 points. The Ravens check in ninth with a 26.8 average.

The Ravens lead the all-time series, 6-0.

Brady takes criticism
The aftershocks from the Patriots’ stunning setback in Seattle lingered all last week with complaints rising from a few fans that 35-year-old quarterback Tom Brady needs to spend less time being a GQ and more time being a QB.

Of course, two weeks ago it was all good as Brady completed 74 percent of his passes in a double-digit win over the Broncos. Unlike, say, Josh Beckett, he takes the scrutiny in stride.

“Well, it’s because we only play once a week, and there’s a lot to talk about over the course of those seven days,” Brady said. “I think it’s important for us players not to ride the roller coaster of emotions that your family may have or your friends may have or the questions that we get. I think the important thing is to keep trying to improve and get better and focus on the opponent and not what’s being said or what you hear or everyone tells you you’re great or everyone tells you you suck.

“You just try to say, ‘This is where we’re at. This is what my coach thinks. This is what we’re going to try to do, and this is how we’re going to try to win this game.’ ”

That approach has generally served the Patriots well, although not like it once did.

Speaking of winning — or, rather, not — the Patriots have now lost seven games in which they had the lead with five minutes to play since 2009. Only the Dolphins and Redskins, with eight each, have more folds.

And the Patriots were 15-4 (.789) in games decided by three points or less from 2001 to ’07. They’re 5-7 (.417) since 2009, when Brady returned from knee surgery.

New England numbers
A few Pats facts worth knowing: You might be surprised to learn Brady is not among the five quarterbacks with the highest winning percentage since the start of last season. Brady checks in sixth (16-6, .727), behind Aaron Rodgers (17-4, .810), Alex Smith (18-5, .783), Joe Flacco (17-5, .773), Matt Schaub (12-4, .750) and Jay Cutler (11-4, .733). … The Patriots have the best turnover differential among AFC teams since 2011 with a plus-27. The Texans are next at plus-12. … Wes Welker has a chance today to become the fourth player in NFL history to make at least 10 catches in three consecutive games. The others are Brett Perriman (Detroit, 1995), Reggie Wayne (Indianapolis, (2007-08) and Johnson (Houston, ’08). If he does, he’ll tie Jerry Rice for the most 10-plus catch games in NFL history with 17.

Quick hits, numbers
Some quick hits and (hopefully) useful numbers with regard to this week’s games: The Titans defeated the Bills, 23-17, last year in Buffalo. … The Browns defeated the Colts, 27-19, last year in Indianapolis. … The Vikings defeated the Cardinals, 34-10, last year in Minnesota. … The Giants had won nine of 10 against the Redskins before getting swept, 28-14 and 23-10, last season. Those were two of Washington’s five victories. … The Packers defeated the Rams, 24-3, last season in Green Bay. The Packers are playing their third straight road game. The Rams are 3-0 at home with wins over the Redskins, Seahawks and Cardinals. … The Steelers are 10-1 in their last 11 trips to Cincinnati. … The Bears have won six of the past seven meetings at home against the Lions, by 32, 27, 4, 24, 5 and 24 points. … Teams on the bye: Atlanta, Denver, Kansas City, Miami, Philadelphia, San Diego. And how those coming off it have historically fared: Carolina (8-9, .471), Chicago (15-8, .652), Jacksonville (9-8, .529), New Orleans (11-12, .478).

Fourth and One
Some random thoughts in no particular order:

•Like the Miami Dolphins to finish second in the AFC East and earn a wild-card berth as they return to the playoffs for the first time in four very long years. While not the caliber of the Patriots, they’re one of the legit 3-3 teams.

•The Patriots fly to the West Coast and Western Europe with a visit from the archrival Jets in between. The NFL schedule makers must have gotten a good laugh out of putting that three-game stretch together.

•Can’t understand how people can pass judgment on Seahawks rookie quarterback Russell Wilson, what with his NFL career consisting of seven games.

•Pete Carroll is 61, making him the third-oldest coach in the NFL. Who knew?

•Picked up on ESPN: The wise guys in Vegas consider center to be the most important position on a team after quarterback. Who knew II?